Such was the impact on the young Lewis that he credits it for completely transforming his life and influencing the choices he has made in his career.
"I doubt if I'd be sat here now if I hadn't had that experience," he says.
Almost a quarter of a century on, Lewis sits in an office in the Department for Education and Skills' Sanctuary Buildings, with a ministerial portfolio for skills and vocational education that includes responsibility for volunteering. He believes thousands of young people share his passion for helping others and regards schemes such as Millennium Volunteers as "one of the great triumphs of this government".
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